The Demo Site

Beliefs. We are known as one of the three great Abrahamic faiths. Like Judaism and Christianity, our religion was founded by a descendant of Abraham. We believe in Moses and Jesus, the Torah and Gospel. We believe in the Ten Commandments.

We believe in angels, in heaven and hell and the Day of Judgment, in the return of Jesus, in the books and messengers of God, and in predestination and free will.

Some people think we have a different God because we use the Arabic language name for God, “Allah.” Whether we are Christians, Jews or Muslims, we all pray to the same God.

To those of you who are Hindu, Buddhist, or any other faith, we share your love of God and all humanity. We believe God sent a messenger to every nation with the same message: Believe in one God and be fair to each other.

We are taught that Islam is just the final brick in the house that God has built through his other prophets.

One becomes a Muslim by declaring there is only one God (thus, no one should play God) and Mohammed is his messenger.

Duties. We pray 5 times a day, pay a tax to help the needy, fast during the month of Ramadan, and make a pilgrimage to Mecca if we are able.

Beginnings. In the year 610 C.E., the angel Gabriel appeared to a descendant of Abraham and Hagar. His name was Mohammed, a contemplative and respected citizen of the trading metropolis of Mecca.

Mohammed could not read or write, but he listened carefully, and the messages from God, brought by the angel, were written down by others during the next 23 years of his life and later put together in a book called the Koran, in Arabic “The Reading.”

The religion was called Islam, which, in Arabic means “submission to God, peace, safety, purity.” Followers were called Muslims. Both word were derived from the stem “salam.”

The Islamic empire spread rapidly throughout the Middle East, all of North Africa, parts of Europe, Persia and as far as China. Those supporting freedom of speech and religion (such as India) joined the empire by treaties. Islamic teachings were later voluntarily accepted by many because they were simple and supportive of diverse culture and science.

Muslims led a Golden Age of local rule and pluralism supporting science and culture in Baghdad, Cairo, Jerusalem, Damascus, and Spain for hundreds of years. Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians and Hindus lived together in peace.

The Crusades. This holy war was stirred up in Europe and continued off and on for centuries. It was sparked when the Islamic rulers of Jerusalem attacked churches, prevented pilgrimage and persecuted Christians. The Church of Rome spread the idea that Muslims were infidels—godless. Muslims had violated the most fundamental Islamic principle of protection of religious freedom.

And when Muslims started attacking churches in Spain, a brutal Inquisition destroyed the multicultural civilization there that had lasted for 8 centuries. Similarly, intolerant Baghdad was destroyed by Mongol invaders and the Ottoman Empire was carved up into artificial states after WWI.

Dictatorships followed and continue until the present day throughout the Islamic world, sometimes supported by outside influence. Internal democracy movements are crushed.

Many Muslims do not understand their religion well anymore. In unfree societies, one is not taught to think, only to hear and obey.

Still, suicide bombings are condemned by all Muslims. The vast majority believe that political grievances should be resolved with demonstrations and fair fights which do not harm the innocent. Muslims see terror as sabotage of their just causes.

Terrorists work for political ends. Muslims do not know who they are. They do not hang out in mosques and mix with us.

Even Muslims who are very angry at America abhor terror and cannot be recruited into it.

Arabic word Islam means 'surrender' or 'submission'. It is derived from the word Aslama which is from the same root as Salam, the word for Peace. According to the religious context, Islam means complete surrender to the will of God (Allah). In the broader meanings it is a complete religion which requires submission to the Will of Allah and obedience to the laws of Allah as set down in the final of His Books, the Holy Qur'an. Millions of people around the globe have accepted this submission to Allah, and even more and more people are entering Islam. The spread of Islam has always based on the strength and simplicity of this religion, and its emphasis on ideas of existence and oneness of God, punishment and reward in the everlasting life after a temporary life in this world.

Islam is as wide in its conception as humanity itself. According to the Qur'an, Islam was the religion of every prophet and messenger of God, and Muhammad being the final of all prophets. Islam means 'Peace', in other words to be in or enter into a state of peace. The name Islam was given to this religion by none but Allah Himself. It is a complete way of life for mankind. As God says in His final Message, the Holy Qur'an:

"This day I have perfected your religion for you and completed My favour upon you and have chosen Islam as your religion." [The Holy Qur'an, Surah 5:4]

Islam is the true religion of all mankind. The message of Islam has been given from the time of the Prophet Adam (peace be upon him), and renewed through many prophets chosen by God to inform humanity of the way of life leading to God. The fundamental teaching of each of those prophets was the same: "There is no deity, nor object worthy of worship, except God alone - Allah. This very message was perfected by God in the final Scriptures revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

According to the Islamic faith Prophet Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, David, Solomon, Elias, Moses, Aaron, Jonah, John, Jesus and many others (peace be upon them all) are accepted true prophets of God. They all are considered as Muslims because they surrendered and submitted themselves to the Will of God. They not only followed the commands of God but also spread the Message of God to their fellow men. Therefore, by its broader definition, the people who accepted the teachings of God's prophets in their time in their original form, were also Muslims; they surrendered themselves to the will of Allah, The Exalted God.

Hajj is obligatory on every Muslim only once during his or her lifetime, provided that he or she is able to perform it. The order comes from Allah in the Qur'an :

“Hajj (Pilgrimage) to the House (the Kaaba) is an obligation that humanity owes to Allah, for those who can find a way (i.e. for those who can find the means to do it). And whoever disbelieves (i.e. denies the Hajj), then Allah is beyond any need of all that exists (from His creation).”
[Surah Ali ‘Imraan: 97]

Zakāt (Arabic: زكاة‎ , "that which purifies" or "alms"), one of the Five Pillars of Islam, is the giving of a fixed portion of one's wealth to charity, generally to the poor person and needy 

Zakat is considered to be a religious duty, and is expected to be paid by all practicing Muslims who have the financial means (nisab). In addition to their zakat obligations, Muslims are encouraged to make voluntary contributions (sadaqat).

Zakat is divided into two types namely:

Tithes

Zakat is obligatory issued ahead of the Eid al-Fitr Muslim during Ramadan. Large zakat is equivalent to 3.5 liters (2.5 kilograms) of food staple in the area concerned.

Zakat Maal (property)

Includes the results of commerce, agriculture, mining, marine products, livestock, finding treasures, gold and silver. Each type has its own calculations.

Fasting in Islam or shaum (Arabic: صوم) literally means to restrain or prevent. According to Shari'a Islam means to refrain from eating and drinking as well as any acts that could break the fast from dawn until sunset, with certain conditions, to increase the piety of a Muslim. Fasting command spoken by Allah in the Quran surah Al-Baqarah verse 183.

"O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint,-"

الصلاة Refers to Islamic religious rituals. According to Islamic Shari'a, the practice of prayer should be in accordance with any instructions ordinances Prophet Muhammad according to the commandment of God.

الصلاة derived from Arabic meaning, prayer. Meanwhile, according to the term, means a series of special or particular acts of worship that began with takbiratul ihram and ends with a greeting.

الصلاة in the Qur'an

The following are the verses that talk about prayer in the Qur'an, Islam's holy book.

Speak to my servants who have believed, that they may establish regular prayers, and spend (in charity) out of the sustenance we have given them, secretly and openly, before the coming of a Day (of Judgement) in which there will be neither mutual bargaining nor befriending. (Abraham: 31)

Creed is the principle and basis for the other pillars of Islam. Creed is the soul, the core and foundation of all precepts of Islam. Creed commonly called the Syahadatain because it consists of two sentences (in Arabic means two sentences Syahadatain Creed). The two sentences of Creed / Confension is:

Meaning: I testify that there is no god but Allah

Meaning: and I testify that Muhammad is the messenger / messenger of God

The first sentence indicates the recognition of monotheism. That is, a Muslim trust only Allah as the only God. God is God in the sense of something that's a motivation or goal someone. So the pledge first sentence, a Muslim steadying himself to make only Allah as the goal, motivation, and way of life.

The second sentence indicates the recognition that the Prophet Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. With this sentence pledged themselves to establish a Muslim to believe in the teachings of Allah as conveyed through Muhammad, such as believe in hadith-hadith Muhammad. Included in it is not to trust the claims of apostolic after Muhammad.